diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.test.tsx
index 7e9febda32a..48b7cf4ce6f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.test.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ import { act, createElement } from 'react'
 import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
-import { useDetectedAgents, type AgentDetectionTarget } from './useDetectedAgents'
+import {
+  useDetectedAgents,
+  type AgentDetectionTarget,
+  type UseDetectedAgentsResult
+} from './useDetectedAgents'
 import {
   MIN_COMPATIBLE_RUNTIME_CLIENT_VERSION,
   RUNTIME_PROTOCOL_VERSION
@@ -14,9 +18,10 @@ const detectRemoteAgents = vi.fn()
 const runtimeEnvironmentCall = vi.fn()
 const initialAppState = useAppStore.getInitialState()
 const roots: Root[] = []
+let latestHookResult: UseDetectedAgentsResult | null = null
 
 function HookProbe({ target }: { target: AgentDetectionTarget }): null {
-  useDetectedAgents(target)
+  latestHookResult = useDetectedAgents(target)
   return null
 }
 
@@ -41,6 +46,7 @@ async function renderProbe(target: AgentDetectionTarget): Promise<Root> {
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   useAppStore.setState(initialAppState, true)
+  latestHookResult = null
   detectRemoteAgents.mockReset().mockResolvedValue([])
   runtimeEnvironmentCall.mockReset().mockImplementation(({ method }: { method: string }) => {
     const result =
@@ -116,6 +122,59 @@ describe('useDetectedAgents (ssh call site)', () => {
 })
 
 describe('useDetectedAgents (runtime call site)', () => {
+  it('does not re-probe after an explicit refresh finds no agents', async () => {
+    useAppStore.setState({
+      runtimeDetectedAgentIds: { 'env-1': ['claude'] },
+      isDetectingRuntimeAgents: { 'env-1': false }
+    })
+    let detectCalls = 0
+    let refreshCalls = 0
+    runtimeEnvironmentCall.mockImplementation(({ method }: { method: string }) => {
+      let result: unknown
+      if (method === 'status.get') {
+        result = {
+          runtimeId: 'remote-runtime',
+          rendererGraphEpoch: 1,
+          graphStatus: 'ready',
+          authoritativeWindowId: null,
+          liveTabCount: 0,
+          liveLeafCount: 0,
+          runtimeProtocolVersion: RUNTIME_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+          minCompatibleRuntimeClientVersion: MIN_COMPATIBLE_RUNTIME_CLIENT_VERSION
+        }
+      } else if (method === 'preflight.refreshAgents') {
+        refreshCalls += 1
+        result = {
+          agents: [],
+          addedPathSegments: [],
+          shellHydrationOk: true,
+          pathSource: 'shell_hydrate',
+          pathFailureReason: 'none'
+        }
+      } else {
+        detectCalls += 1
+        result = ['claude']
+      }
+      return Promise.resolve({
+        id: method,
+        ok: true,
+        result,
+        _meta: { runtimeId: 'remote-runtime' }
+      })
+    })
+
+    await renderProbe({ kind: 'runtime', environmentId: 'env-1' })
+    await renderProbe({ kind: 'runtime', environmentId: 'env-1' })
+    await act(async () => {
+      await latestHookResult?.refresh()
+    })
+    await flushEffects()
+
+    expect(refreshCalls).toBe(1)
+    expect(detectCalls).toBe(0)
+    expect(useAppStore.getState().runtimeDetectedAgentIds['env-1']).toEqual([])
+  })
+
   it('retries a cached empty runtime result when the launch surface is reopened', async () => {
     let detectCalls = 0
     runtimeEnvironmentCall.mockImplementation(({ method }: { method: string }) => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.ts
index dbd96ab89cf..e4fe7bd0b3a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useDetectedAgents.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export function useDetectedAgents(
   connectionId: AgentDetectionTarget | string | null | undefined = null
 ): UseDetectedAgentsResult {
   const target = normalizeAgentDetectionTarget(connectionId)
-  const retriedEmptyTargetRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
+  const observedRemoteTargetRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
   // Why: undefined means "store not yet hydrated" — we don't know if the
   // worktree is local or remote yet. This prevents flashing local agents for
   // remote worktrees during hydration.
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ export function useDetectedAgents(
       : target?.kind === 'runtime'
         ? target.environmentId
         : null
+  const remoteTargetKey =
+    targetKind === 'ssh' && targetId
+      ? `ssh:${targetId}`
+      : targetKind === 'runtime' && targetId
+        ? `runtime:${targetId}`
+        : null
 
   const detectedIds = useAppStore((s) => {
     if (isUnknown) {
@@ -119,30 +125,24 @@ export function useDetectedAgents(
     if (isUnknown) {
       return
     }
-    const emptyRetryKey =
-      targetKind === 'ssh' && targetId
-        ? `ssh:${targetId}`
-        : targetKind === 'runtime' && targetId
-          ? `runtime:${targetId}`
-          : null
+    const isNewRemoteTarget =
+      remoteTargetKey !== null && observedRemoteTargetRef.current !== remoteTargetKey
+    // Why: a later refresh to [] is not a newly opened surface and must not trigger another probe.
+    observedRemoteTargetRef.current = remoteTargetKey
     if (targetKind === 'ssh' && targetId) {
       if (detectedIds === null) {
-        retriedEmptyTargetRef.current = emptyRetryKey
         void ensureRemote(targetId)
-      } else if (detectedIds.length === 0 && retriedEmptyTargetRef.current !== emptyRetryKey) {
+      } else if (detectedIds.length === 0 && isNewRemoteTarget) {
         // Why: a newly opened remote launch surface should get one fresh probe
         // after a prior empty result, but must not spin while the host has no agents.
-        retriedEmptyTargetRef.current = emptyRetryKey
         void ensureRemote(targetId)
       }
     } else if (targetKind === 'runtime' && targetId) {
       if (detectedIds === null) {
-        retriedEmptyTargetRef.current = emptyRetryKey
         void ensureRuntime(targetId)
-      } else if (detectedIds.length === 0 && retriedEmptyTargetRef.current !== emptyRetryKey) {
+      } else if (detectedIds.length === 0 && isNewRemoteTarget) {
         // Why: remote `orca serve` users can install/fix PATH without reconnecting;
         // retry once per mounted surface so the menu can pick that up.
-        retriedEmptyTargetRef.current = emptyRetryKey
         void ensureRuntime(targetId)
       }
     } else {
@@ -150,7 +150,16 @@ export function useDetectedAgents(
         void ensureLocal()
       }
     }
-  }, [isUnknown, targetKind, targetId, detectedIds, ensureLocal, ensureRemote, ensureRuntime])
+  }, [
+    isUnknown,
+    targetKind,
+    targetId,
+    remoteTargetKey,
+    detectedIds,
+    ensureLocal,
+    ensureRemote,
+    ensureRuntime
+  ])
 
   return { detectedIds, isLoading, isRefreshing, refresh }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/detected-agents.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/detected-agents.test.ts
index 5b6367363b1..1755f355072 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/detected-agents.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/detected-agents.test.ts
@@ -652,6 +652,89 @@ describe('createDetectedAgentsSlice remote detection', () => {
     ).toHaveLength(1)
   })
 
+  it('keeps a late initial detect from overwriting a runtime refresh', async () => {
+    const store = createTestStore()
+    let resolveDetect: (value: unknown) => void = () => {}
+    let resolveRefresh: (value: unknown) => void = () => {}
+    runtimeEnvironmentCall.mockImplementation(({ method }: { method: string }) => {
+      if (method === 'status.get') {
+        return Promise.resolve({
+          id: method,
+          ok: true,
+          result: {
+            runtimeId: 'remote-runtime',
+            rendererGraphEpoch: 1,
+            graphStatus: 'ready',
+            authoritativeWindowId: null,
+            liveTabCount: 0,
+            liveLeafCount: 0,
+            runtimeProtocolVersion: RUNTIME_PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+            minCompatibleRuntimeClientVersion: MIN_COMPATIBLE_RUNTIME_CLIENT_VERSION
+          },
+          _meta: { runtimeId: 'remote-runtime' }
+        })
+      }
+      return new Promise((resolve) => {
+        if (method === 'preflight.detectAgents') {
+          resolveDetect = resolve
+        } else {
+          resolveRefresh = resolve
+        }
+      })
+    })
+
+    const detect = store.getState().ensureRuntimeDetectedAgents('env-1')
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(
+        runtimeEnvironmentCall.mock.calls.filter(
+          ([{ method }]) => method === 'preflight.detectAgents'
+        )
+      ).toHaveLength(1)
+    })
+
+    const refresh = store.getState().refreshRuntimeDetectedAgents('env-1')
+    expect(store.getState().ensureRuntimeDetectedAgents('env-1')).toBe(refresh)
+    expect(store.getState().isDetectingRuntimeAgents['env-1']).toBe(true)
+    expect(store.getState().isRefreshingRuntimeAgents['env-1']).toBe(true)
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(
+        runtimeEnvironmentCall.mock.calls.filter(
+          ([{ method }]) => method === 'preflight.refreshAgents'
+        )
+      ).toHaveLength(1)
+    })
+    resolveRefresh({
+      id: 'preflight.refreshAgents',
+      ok: true,
+      result: {
+        agents: ['kilo'],
+        addedPathSegments: [],
+        shellHydrationOk: true,
+        pathSource: 'shell_hydrate',
+        pathFailureReason: 'none'
+      },
+      _meta: { runtimeId: 'remote-runtime' }
+    })
+    await expect(refresh).resolves.toEqual(['kilo'])
+
+    resolveDetect({
+      id: 'preflight.detectAgents',
+      ok: true,
+      result: ['claude'],
+      _meta: { runtimeId: 'remote-runtime' }
+    })
+    await expect(detect).resolves.toEqual(['claude'])
+
+    expect(store.getState().runtimeDetectedAgentIds['env-1']).toEqual(['kilo'])
+    expect(store.getState().isDetectingRuntimeAgents['env-1']).toBe(false)
+    expect(store.getState().isRefreshingRuntimeAgents['env-1']).toBe(false)
+    expect(
+      runtimeEnvironmentCall.mock.calls.filter(
+        ([{ method }]) => method === 'preflight.refreshAgents'
+      )
+    ).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
   it('falls back to plain runtime re-detection when the server lacks preflight.refreshAgents', async () => {
     const store = createTestStore()
     runtimeEnvironmentCall.mockImplementation(({ method }: { method: string }) => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/runtime-detected-agents.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/runtime-detected-agents.ts
index 4a3da863e5b..7da5bef6da9 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/runtime-detected-agents.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/runtime-detected-agents.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ export const createRuntimeDetectedAgentsSlice: StateCreator<
   isRefreshingRuntimeAgents: {},
 
   ensureRuntimeDetectedAgents: (environmentId: string) => {
+    const inflightRefresh = runtimeRefreshPromises.get(environmentId)
+    if (inflightRefresh) {
+      return inflightRefresh
+    }
     const existing = get().runtimeDetectedAgentIds[environmentId]
     // Why: an empty result ([]) is truthy, so a prior "no agents found" detection
     // must not be treated as cached — re-detect so a later install / PATH fix is
@@ -113,6 +117,9 @@ export const createRuntimeDetectedAgentsSlice: StateCreator<
       return inflight
     }
 
+    // Why: a refresh is newer and authoritative; detach an older detect so its
+    // late result cannot overwrite the freshly hydrated PATH result.
+    runtimeDetectPromises.delete(environmentId)
     set((s) => ({
       isRefreshingRuntimeAgents: { ...s.isRefreshingRuntimeAgents, [environmentId]: true }
     }))
@@ -140,6 +147,10 @@ export const createRuntimeDetectedAgentsSlice: StateCreator<
         if (runtimeRefreshPromises.get(environmentId) === pending) {
           set((s) => ({
             runtimeDetectedAgentIds: { ...s.runtimeDetectedAgentIds, [environmentId]: typed },
+            isDetectingRuntimeAgents: {
+              ...s.isDetectingRuntimeAgents,
+              [environmentId]: false
+            },
             isRefreshingRuntimeAgents: { ...s.isRefreshingRuntimeAgents, [environmentId]: false }
           }))
         }
@@ -150,6 +161,10 @@ export const createRuntimeDetectedAgentsSlice: StateCreator<
         // wipe the last known agent list.
         if (runtimeRefreshPromises.get(environmentId) === pending) {
           set((s) => ({
+            isDetectingRuntimeAgents: {
+              ...s.isDetectingRuntimeAgents,
+              [environmentId]: false
+            },
             isRefreshingRuntimeAgents: { ...s.isRefreshingRuntimeAgents, [environmentId]: false }
           }))
         }